Combined knitting feed and transfer feed circular knitting machine

ABSTRACT

Both the cylinder and dial cam structures are formed with needle butt raceways defining respective needle curves, and are subdivided into segments which are all of similar angular extent, some of the segments of the cylinder and dial cam structures being formed with raceways which provide for knitting feeds, and others with raceways providing transfer feeds; the segments are individually removably mounted on the machine, and the needle raceways in the segments are so arranged that the terminal portions thereof match adjacent raceways to permit selective interchange and placement of segments in accordance with desired knitting patterns; to provide for selective disabling of blanking or eliminator drums of Jacquard drum selectors, in both knitting feeds and transfer feeds, a pair of cam rings provide for mechanical index control of the pattern drum of the Jacquard selector, and electrically operated, solenoid controlled interlocks are provided to control indexing of the blanking drum, which can be done in accordance with a programmed pattern.

United States Patent Schiebel et a1.

COMBINED KNITTING FEED AND TRANSFER FEED CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINEInventors: Alfred Schiebel, Rottenburg; Falk Kuhn, Kiebingen; HermannBeuter; Alfred Planck, Jr., both of Rottenburg, all of GermanyFouquet-Werk Frauz & Planck, Rottenburg am Ncckar, Germany Filed: Apr.24, 1972 Appl. No.: 246,651

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 22, 1971 Germany 2119530References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSGreat Britain 66/24 1 Sept. 17, 1974 996,291 6/1965 Great Britain 66/50B 715,417 9/1954 Great Britain 66/24 OTHER PUBLICATIONS 1,952,946 5-1970German Application (Guell).

Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Flynn & Frishauf5 7 ABSTRACT Both the cylinder and dial cam structures are formed withneedle butt raceways defining respective needle curves, and aresub-divided into segments which are all of similar angular extent, someof the segments of the cylinder and dial cam structures being formedwith raceways which provide for knitting feeds, and others with racewaysproviding transfer feeds; the segments are individually removablymounted on the machine, and the needle raceways in the segments are soarranged that the terminal portions thereof match adjacent raceways topermit selective interchange and placement of segments in accordancewith desired knitting patterns; to provide for selective disabling ofblanking or eliminator drums of Jacquard drum selectors, in bothknitting feeds and transfer feeds, a pair of cam rings provide formechanical index control of the pattern drum of the Jacquard selector,and electrically operated, solenoid controlled interlocks are providedto control indexing of the blanking drum, which can be done inaccordance with a programmed pattern.

9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEPI 7:924

SHEET 2 (IF 5 PATENTED SEP 1 71974 sum 3 OF 5 Z 345 nu 323 3 T 7 ww 2 99 2 2 2 PAIENIEB SEP 1 71974 SHEEY 5 OF 5 COMBINED KNITTING FEED ANDTRANSFER FEED CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE The present invention relates toa multi-feed circular knitting machine and more particularly to the typeof knitting machine which has both knitting feeds as well as transferfeeds, and the pattern of which is controllable by drum-type Jacquardcontrollers.

Only so much of the present invention will be described as is necessaryfor an understanding thereof; for a general description of the type ofmachine to which the present invention is applied, reference is made toDouble Knit Fabric Manual, page 45 et seq., National Knitted OuterwearAssocaition," copyright I961. Further literature references will begiven below.

Circular knitting machines which provide both for knitting feed as wellas for transfer feed, heretofore, had the disadvantage that certainlimits are placed on the patterns which can be produced economically,that is, with high production. As is well known, loops are only formedduring knitting feeds, that is, only during those knitting feeds isfabric actually produced. During transfer feeds, stitches are merelytransferred with no thread being added. While transfer feeds arenecessary for certain patterns, and to achieve certain effects, nofabric is thereby produced. The period of time taken by the machine totransfer already formed stitches during the transfer feed is thereforelost from a production point of view. As a compromise, machines havebeen made which either only have knitting feeds, or which, selectively,have knitting feeds and transfer feeds,.so arranged that a pair of Jacquard-type knitting feeds are followed by a subsequent Jacquardtransfer feed. The construction of the cylinder and dial cam races, or,to be more accurate, of the respective cylinder or dial needle buttraceways differs when knitting feeds, or transfer feeds are to be made.This is, in part, due to the difference in needle extension, orprojection of the respective needles during the transfer feed from thevarious projections during the knitting feed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine in whichproduction is substantially increased and in which the user has agreater choice of pattern possibilities, and relative use of knittingfeeds and transfer feeds while utilizing a maximum of machine timeavailable; and to provide an apparatus which is easy to control and inwhich Jacquard patterns can be readily programmed.

Subject Matter of the Present Invention Briefly, the cylinder and dialcam structures are each formed with respective needle butt raceways,defining respective needle curves. Some of the segments of the cylinderand dial cam structures are formed with raceways which provide knittingfeeds; others of the segments of the cylinder and dial cam structuresare formed with raceways which provide transfer feeds. All of the camsegments of the needle and dial structures are of equal angular extent.The cam segments are individually removably mounted on the machine, andthe needle raceways in the segments, regardless of whether made forknitting feeds or transfer feeds are so arranged that the terminalportions of the raceways in the segments are at matching position, topermit selective interchange and placement of the segments havingraceways providing knitting feeds and segments having raceways providingtransfer feeds, in any desired relationship.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the Jacquard selectorsare controllable, independently, when controlling knitting feeds ortransfer feeds. Thus, Jacquard controllers which heretofore werecontrolled only from two control cams, one for the Jacquard patterncontroller and one for the blanking or eliminator drum, now require fourcontrol inputs, one each for knitting, or transfer feeds. In order toaccommodate the same four controls in the space allocated for theprevious two controls, the two controls are retained and are made to beselectively applicable to the Jacquard pattern selector drum, forexample, the blanking drum then being controlled by an electric magnetoperating on a latch, the electric magnet being easily energized sinceit does not by itself have to move the Jacquard selector but merelypermit its otherwise powered motion, under control of an electricalsignal.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1, in individual views FIGS. 1a to If illustrate the position ofcylinder and dial cam segments, respectively, for transfer feeds andknitting feeds, in various relationships, and in which FIG. If isrepresentative of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view illustrating aJacquard selector for the cylinder needles only;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the Jacquard selector mechanism with apair of selector control rings;

FIG. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram of electrical interconnection;

FIG. 5 is, a schematic representation of the needle curve, as controlledby the needle butt raceway of the dial cam, the curve of section aindicating a knitting feed and the curve b indicating a transfer feed;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the needle curve (line a), thecylinder and its needle butt raceway (line b) and the raising jack camand the raising jack butt raceway (line 0), for non-knitting position atsection A, for a knitting feed to make standard stitches at section B,for a knitting feed to make tuck stitches at section C, and for transferfeed at section D.

Referring first to FIG. 1, collectively: FIG. 1f illustrates a knittingmachine in which all segments for the cams, of the cylinder and dial areall of equal angular extent, and all are cut with raceways which willprovide knitting feeds. If it is desired to have a machine which is alsocapable of transferring stitches, that is, which is to have transferfeeds then, due to the difference in length of needle projection fortransfer feeds to permit the cylinder needles to project so that thedial needles can engage the transfer eyes it has been deemed necessaryto make the transfer feeds of wider angular extent than the 'knittingfeeds. This is due to the fact that the needle curve cannot rise beyonda certain angle, in order to provide sufficient time for the needle toproject, and further to provide for sufficient dwell times of theneedles, in their relative positions, to permit interengagement andtransfer of the loop. Providing such a machine, for example of the typeillustrated in FIG. la means that, if the machine is to knit constantly(for example as determined by the pattern) the time-efficiency of themachine is 50 percent since the machine must pass the transfer feedswithout knitting.

In the diagram of FIG. 1, the knitting feeds are indicated by S, and thetransfer feeds by U. As seen in FIG. 1, both the dial and the cylindersegments of course have the same feed arrangement. In FIG. 1a, thus, forknitting only, the machine operates inefficiently. If such a machinewere to be used for a pattern which has two succeeding knit feeds andone transfer feed, then the decrease in efficiency would be less marked.If the machine is, initially, built as for example illustrated in FIG.1c, then for knitting alone the machine is 66% percent efficient. If,for example, due to the pattern arrangement, a relationship of 3 l isdesired for example FIG. 1d then additional loss of production time willbe incurred since one transfer system and one knitting system, for eachpattern course, must be disabled. Pattern course, as here used, can bedeemed to mean the aggregate of knitting and transfer systems which arenecessary for the stitch structure, or fabric construction of thepattern to be made.

Assuming a machine having a built-in relationship in accordance with theknitting feed-transfer feed relationship of FIG. 1c is provided, and thedesign calls for a pattern sequence as illustrated in FIG. lb, that is,2 2, then further inefficiency is incurred since two knitting feeds mustbe disabled in order to reach a second transfer feed subsequent to afirst transfer first. A 36- feed machine having, in the assumed example,24 knitting feeds and 12 transfer feeds, would thus operate at 50percent efficiency with respect to normal knitting time (knitting at 24feeds) since 6 X 2 12, that is, half of the knitting feeds, have to bedisabled.

In accordance with the present invention, the cam segments forming theknitting feeds and the transfer feeds all have the same angular extent,and are removably and interchangeably made, so that knitting feedmovement or transfer feed movement of the needles can be individuallyselectively controlled, as desired, by merely removing interchangeableparts. Further, the needle raceways, defining the needle curves are soarranged that the ends of the raceways, at the segments, match eachother so that the needles will smoothly be transferred from one segmentto the other, without damage or spurious movement.

The combinations of sequences of knitting feeds and transfer feeds canbe selected, as desired. FIG. 1a to 2 illustrates various relationshipsand possibilities. Others may, of course, be used. FIG. 1 f furtherillustrates that the same system, by placing only knitting feeds on themachine, can also be used similar to machines of the prior art, whichdid not permit, as in the special construction of the machine of thepresent invention, interchange of knitting and transfer feeds.

The Jacquard selector to be used with the feeds can be constructedessentially as previously known, with modifications, which can readilybe accomodated on the framework and within the space of existingmachines. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3: A Jacquard drum 1 has patternjacks 2 located therein with the usual pattern butts. Coaxial with thepattern drum 1, and located therebelow, is a blanking drum or eliminatordrum 3. The pattern jacks, likewise, are formed with blanking oreliminator butts 4. The ratchet wheel 5 is connected to the blankingdrum 3, and a ratchet or index wheel 6 is connected, concentric with theshaft from wheel 5, to the pattern drum 1. Selector fingers or patternlevers 7, on the Jacquard controller, engage with the selector butts ofneedle jacks. The Jacquard drum formed of pattern drum 1 and blankingdrum 3 is indexed by a mechanism which includes an index lever 8 (FIG.2), operated by an index cam follower 9. One each such Jacquard selectoris associated with a feed, and located at the circumference of themachine below the cylinder cams. It is secured to the machine betweenbearings located in lower and upper rings 16, 11 respectively. Theselector fingers or pattern levers 7 are located on a common shaft andare swingably mounted, moved in accordance with the position of thepattern and blanking butts, and radially pivoted, to engage the regionof the selector butts 12 of the selector jacks 13. The selector butts 12of the selector jacks 13, when engaged by the pattern lever 7, pivotover pivot point 18 to enter into their respective tricks. This motioncauses the raising jacks 16, located thereabove, to disengage theraising butt from the associated raising cam of the cylinder 19 and thusdisable the cylinder needles 17, connected to the raising jacks 16, frombeing driven into knitting position. This is obtained by engagement ofthe upper, forked end of the selector jacks 13 with the raising jacks16. The pivoted position is shown in dashed lines. The aforementionedliterature reference gives a complete and detailed explanation.

The needle bed is only schematically indicated at 15. The Jacquardselector drums are retained in position by a shaft 20.

The selector drums are indexed, or operated by means of an operatingmechanism which includes a removable, replaceable control shaft 36,carrying a cam follower roller 28 and corresponding to roller 9 (FIG. 2)but being removably located to be engaged by raising earns 32, or 31,selectively, each mounted on a cam track 29, 30, respectively. Shaft 36,with the roller 28 located either as shown in FIG. 3 (engaging cam 32)or close to lever 27 so it will be engaged by cam 31, is connected tolever 27 which pivots about a pivot point 37. Lever 27, when beingraised at the end of pin 36 by the earns 31, 32, respectively, willrelease a latch lever 22 which, by means of a spring, cam pivotcounterclockwise over a vertical axis. Latch lever 22 has a ratchet arm45 connected thereto at a pivot point 46, and only schematically shown,the ratchet arm 45 engaging ratchet wheel 6, to push the ratchet wheelby one or more indexed position, depending on the positioning of tooth45, as well known and explained in detail in the aforementionedliterature reference. The pin 36, with cam follower roller 28 ispreferably so made that it can be reversed and inserted backwards in asuitable opening in link 27, so that the roller will selectively engagethe cam element 31, or 32. Cam elements or wedges 31, 32 are mounted onmovable rings 29, 30 which are moved in accordance with a pre-setcontrol, and as well known in the art. The just described indexingarrangement for the Jacquard controller therefore, depending on theposition of cam follower roller 28, will be controlled by movement ofeither one of rings 29 or 30. The position of the cam follower roller28, and relative movement of cam rings 29, 30 will depend on thepattern, and on whether the Jacquard controller is opposite a knittingfeed segment or opposite a transfer feed segment. Thus, the replaceableand adjustable control of the indexing of the Jacquard selector drum,both for knitting and transfer feeds gives the pattern designer greatleeway.

Machines of prior art constructions utilized one of the rings 29, or 30to control indexing of the Jacquard pattern selector and the other tocontrol indexing of the blanking or eliminator drum. In accordance withthe present invention, both rings 29, 30 are selectively used to controlthe pattern selector dru'm. This requires, additionally, means tocontrol indexing of the blanking drum. A solenoid magnet is secured tothe support structure of the Jacquard pattern selector, the solenoid 25having a movable armature pin 26 which is pivoted at 34 to a latch lever24. Latch lever 24 is secured to the Jacquard selector structure bymeans of a pivot screw 33. Latch lever 24 engages end 22' of a ratchetlever 21; ratchet lever 21 has a ratchet tooth 23 thereon, which engagesratchet wheel 5, connected to the blanking drum 3, to move the blankingdrum under influence of a spring. The movement mechanism is well knownand described, in greater detail, in the aforementioned publication, thedifference being the control or release of the movement by solenoid 25.The cam rings 29, are secured to a cambase 35 which is driven by themain cylinder drive gear or ring 39 (FIG. 2). The cylinder segments(FIG. 1) with their cam races are readily removable from the machinestructure, being secured thereto, as schematically indicated at 19'(FIG. 2).

The solenoids 25 are controlled by the circuit of FIG. 4. A programmingboard, or program carrier 40, which may also be deemed a control unit isprovided. Control unit 40 has switches 49-1, 49-2, 49-3 49-n thereon (inwhich n corresponds to the number of feeds of the machine). The controlunit is synchronized with machine rotation by means of a synchronizingline 48, and has a pair of outputs 41, 42, which may be in the form ofcables connected to the various solenoids 25 through elements whichprevent mutual interference or feedback, such as well known OR-gates,which may be in the form of diodes. If the outputs from control unit 40,41 are individual, they can be connected to terminals Y, Z which, inturn, connect to switches 43, controlling the individual solenoids 25.Solenoids 25 can have individual switches 43' mounted right on theJacquard drum support see FIG. 3. Switches 43 may, also, be containedwithin a switch unit, which may be part of the control unit 40, andganged together, as schematically seen in FIG. 4. If the lines 41, 42are cables, then the individual terminals of the cables, theenergization of which is controlled by switches 49-1, 49-2 49-n andtaken at points Y, Z are then connected to terminals X, in turnconnecting with lines 44 connecting to solenoids 25. The switches 49-1-49-2, 49-3 49-n can be selectively set in upper or lower positions, asindicated for example with respect to switches 49-1, 49-2, and 49-3. Tofacilitate the task of the operator, the setting of the switches,depending upon whether they are connected to a solenoid associated witha knitting feed, or a transfer feed, respectively, can be indicated on apattern carrier 50, having suitable holes, into which the switches intheir respective upper, or lower positions fit, as indicated by holes50-1, 50-2, and 50-3; pattern carrier 50 has as many holes as thereswitches, that is holes 50-1 50-n, wherein n is again the number of thetotal feeds of the machine.

Pulses from control unit 40, synchronized with machine operation by line48 can then be transferred, selectively and sequentially, in accordancewith switch positions from the cables of lines 41, 42 to the respectiveindividual terminals X of the individual solenoids; or, ifthe-programming is to be done manually, the lines 41, 42 can be set forenergization and either individualv switches 43' connected to eitherlines 41, or 42, in dependence on whether the particular solenoid isassociated with a knitting feed or with a transfer feed, to beenergized, in timed relationship with machine operation, as determinedby the synchronizing line 48, which synchronizes stepping theenergization of the switches 49-1, 49-2, 49-n, or synchronization ofcommon outputs at terminals Y, Z for connection over switches 43, or 43to the respective solenoids 25. Thus, pulses from the control unit 40are transferred to the respective circuits of cables 41, 42 to therespective switches 43, 43' and then to the magnets 25 over lines 44.

Most knitting machines effect primary control of the pattern on thecylinder since, for space reasons, it is often difficult to provideJacquard controllers with many selection possibilities on the dial. Thepresent invention has been described so far in connection with controlof the needles of the cylinder. In accordance with known knittingmachine technology, the needle curve, that is, the path taken by theneedle during a knitting feed is schematically illustrated for the dialin FIG. 5a. As can be seen, the needle has various dwell periods andprojects by a predetermined amount. FIG. 5b illustrates the control ofthe dial knitting needle, that is, the needle curve upon transfer. Ascan be seen, the needle projects by a predetermined amount which isapproximately half the projection it would have for knitting, and thenremains essentially stationary in its projected position, to beretracted at the end of the feed. In accordance with the presentinvention, the rate of projection, that is, the slope of the needlecurve of FIG. 5b does not exceed the steepness of the slope of FIG. 5a,and the final position as well as the starting position of the needlecurve, with respect to a fixed datum is the same. Thus, the needlecurves of adjacent segments in the dial will match, and the dialsegments can be readily removed as well known. FIG. 6 illustrates, atthe left side, a needle and a raising jack similar to the raising jackof FIG. 2 (the remaining parts having been omitted) and the position ofthe needle and the raising jack within the respective cam races of thecylinders under various conditions of feed. In section A, the raisingcams are controlled such that the needle will not project; the upper camtrack, which engages the needle butts has movable clearing cams 190, sothat all needles can be brought into action, when this is required. Whenall the clearing cams are in their upper position, then selection by theJacquard selectors is not necessary. The position of the needlesthemselves can be controlled to provide a needle curve as shown in linea of FIG. 6. It is to be noted that the needles are, at the end of thefeed, withdrawn slightly below a datum line. The start and finishposition of the needles, regardless of the type of feed, must be thesame with respect to this datum. Normal knitting feed is illustrated insection B, section C again illustrating a tuck stitch on the cylinder.In order to provide for a transfer, however, the needle must be drivenout far beyond its normal knitting position, as schematically indicatedin section D. This requires a different type of needle raceway, as seenat 19D. The initial slope of this raceway must be so arranged that theneedles will smoothly transfer from either a preceding transfer feed, orfrom a preceding section D, is so adjusted that the needle will effectthis smooth transfer. The particular angle can be obtained with littleexperimentation, and will depend on the diameter of the machine, speedof operation, quality of needle butts and the like. It is known fromexperience that it may be necessary, for an equal number of feeds, toincrease the diameter of the machine in order to obtain a slope of theneedle curve which is not too steep for operation of the needles. Whilethe total number of needles can be kept constant, the cut of the needleswill slightly increase, thus resulting in slightly coarser fabric beingmade on the machine, with, however, substantially greater versatility inpattern selection.

The particular control of the needles by Jacquard selectors, FIGS. 2, 3,has been illustrated and described in connection with the cylinder only.If selection of the cylinder and dial is controlled, the electricalcircuitry of the control unit 40 (FIG. 4) can be essentially duplicated,or the circuits connected in parallel. The control of the Jacquardpattern selector drum, by means of cam rings 29, 30 can be avoided ifelectrical control is used. In order to ensure accurate transfer at alltimes, machines permitting the use of transfer feeds or knitting feedsshould be equipped with latch openers to effect reliable opening of thelatch of the needles after each transfer for the next subsequentknitting operation.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the inventiveconcept.

The invention is applicable to knitting machines having stripingcapability, in which striping apparatus is placed at each of the feeds,to make complete striping patterns, combined striping and multi-colorJacquard patterns, combined striping transfer Jacquard patterns, as wellas combined striping multi-color transfer-and- Jacquard patterns, plainas well as multi-color Jacquard transfer patterns with floats, single,and multicolor Jacquard blister and puckered fabrics, the latter alone,or in combination with striping.

The present invention permits use of circular knitting machines asordinary Jacquard machines having a com plement of knitting feeds, andadaptation of the same machine to provide a Jacquard transfer machinecapable of making a great variety of knit fabric in many patterns. TheJacquard selectors may remain in place during interchange of the machinesegments; if the nature of the feed of a segment associated with aselector is changed, it merely suffices to interchange the direction ofthe pin 36 (FIG. 3) to match the Jacquard drum to the feed, and to throwa switch, thus providing for flexibility of use.

The detailed specification is directed to that portion of the machine inwhich the apparatus of the present invention is incorporated and withwhich the method of the present invention is useful. For a completediscussion of knitting machines, reference may be had to Double KnitFabric Manual, copyright 1961, and Knitting Dictionary, copyright 1966,both published by the National Knitted Outerwear Association;Technologie der Rundstrickerei by Albert Diebler, Konradin-Verlag,Stuttgart, particularly vols. 9, l and 11; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,169,801,2,697,336; and British Patents 874,719 (which discloses a system tocontrol the dial needles), and 996,291, from which well known parts ofthe machines, the cooperation of the apparatus of the present inventionwith known parts of knitting machines, and application of the inventionto other machines and operating elements thereof, will be obvious.Typical knitting machines are, for example, Type SMJ, SRJP, SMH, SMJH,and other interlock circular knitting machines, eight lock circularknitting machines, single knit machines and the like made by Fouquet-Werke Frauz & Planck described in detail in their Betriebsanleitung(Operating Instructions") and Montageund Betriebsanleitung"(Installation and Operating Instructions"); reprint MELLIAND TEX-TILBERICHTE Heidelberg, Vol. 42, issue 12, 1961, pages 1363-1370.

We claim: 1. Multi-feed circular knitting machine having a cylinder camstructure and a dial cam structure, the cylinder and dial cam structuresbeing sub-divided into dial and cylinder cam segments (S, U) formingsectors of a circle and retaining needles therein;

the cylinder and dial cam structures each being formed with respectiveneedle butt raceways (19a, 19b) to provide, upon operation, respectiveneedle curves, the cylinder cam structure comprising cylinder camknitting segments (S) having raceways shaped to project the cylinderneedles to knitting position to provide knitting feeds and cylinder camtransfer segments (U) having raceways shaped to project the cylinderneedles to transfer position to provide transfer feeds;

the dial cam structure comprising dial cam knitting segments (S) havingraceways shaped to project the dial needles to knitting position toprovide knitting feeds and dial cam transfer segments (U) havingraceways shaped to project the dial needles to transfer position toprovide transfer feeds;

the cylinder cam knitting segments, the cylinder cam transfer segments,the dial cam knitting segments, and the dial cam transfer segments beingindividually removably mounted on the machine;

the cylinder cam knitting segments (S) and the cylinder cam transfersegments (U), each, having the same angular extent and beinginterchangeable in position on the machine with respect to each other;

the dial cam knitting segments (S) and the dial cam transfer segments(U), each, having the same angular extent and being interchangeable inposition on the machine with respect to each other;

and the needle cam raceways (19a, 19b) of both the respective knittingsegments and of the transfer segments (S, U) having terminal portionsadjacent the lateral ends of the segments (S, U) at matching alignedpositions, to permit selective interchange and placement of segments (S)having raceways (19a, 19b) providing knitting feeds and segments (U)having raceways providing transfer feeds in any desired relationship onthe circular knitting machine.

2. Knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the relationship ofthe knitting feed segments (S) to transfer segments (U) comprises atleast one of: 2 1; 2:2;l:1;4:2;3:1.

3. Knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine furthercomprises a Jacquard selector drum (1, 3) for each feed, and positioncontrol means selectively operably connectable to said drums, theselector drums having two sections, one section (1) controllingindividual needle selection and the other section (3) controllingblanking to override selections controlled by the needle section;

each said sections having a control latch (22, 22);

wherein said control means comprises selectively energizable (43)electrical means (25) mechanically engageable with and controlling thecontrol latch (22') of one of said sections.

4. Knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein said control meansfurther comprises a pair of adjacent circumferential cam rings (23, 30)and means (28, 36) selectively engageable with one of said rings and thecontrol latch (22) of the other of said sections.

5. Knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the electrical meanscomprises a solenoid magnet (25) and a locking member (24) selectivelymovable to engage the control latch (22) of said one of said sections inaccordance with energization or non-energization of said solenoid.

6. Knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the electrical meansof individual Jacquard selector drums are individually controllable.

7. Knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the electrical meansof individual Jacquard selector drums for each feed are controllableconjointly.

8. Knitting machine according to claim 7, comprising a programcontroller (40) having a pair of outputs, one output (41) controllingthe electrical means in knitting feeds and the other output (42)controlling the electrical means in transfer feeds to selectivelyenergize or not energize the electrical means of the respective knittingfeed and transfer feed Jacquard selectors.

9. Knitting machine according to claim 8, wherein the program controller(40) has a separated array of switches (49-1, 49-2 49-n) controllingenergization of the electrical means of individual Jacquard selectors,the switches having discrete physical positions depending on theirswitch setting;

and a pattern card (50) having openings 50-1, 50-2 50-n) matching thephysical positions of the switches connectable with specific segments,in accordance with the characteristic of the segments and whetherproviding knitting feed or transfer feed control of the knittingneedles.

1. Multi-feed circular knitting machine having a cylinder cam structureand a dial cam Structure, the cylinder and dial cam structures beingsub-divided into dial and cylinder cam segments (S, U) forming sectorsof a circle and retaining needles therein; the cylinder and dial camstructures each being formed with respective needle butt raceways (19a,19b) to provide, upon operation, respective needle curves, the cylindercam structure comprising cylinder cam knitting segments (S) havingraceways shaped to project the cylinder needles to knitting position toprovide knitting feeds and cylinder cam transfer segments (U) havingraceways shaped to project the cylinder needles to transfer position toprovide transfer feeds; the dial cam structure comprising dial camknitting segments (S) having raceways shaped to project the dial needlesto knitting position to provide knitting feeds and dial cam transfersegments (U) having raceways shaped to project the dial needles totransfer position to provide transfer feeds; the cylinder cam knittingsegments, the cylinder cam transfer segments, the dial cam knittingsegments, and the dial cam transfer segments being individuallyremovably mounted on the machine; the cylinder cam knitting segments (S)and the cylinder cam transfer segments (U), each, having the sameangular extent and being interchangeable in position on the machine withrespect to each other; the dial cam knitting segments (S) and the dialcam transfer segments (U), each, having the same angular extent andbeing interchangeable in position on the machine with respect to eachother; and the needle cam raceways (19a, 19b) of both the respectiveknitting segments and of the transfer segments (S, U) having terminalportions adjacent the lateral ends of the segments (S, U) at matchingaligned positions, to permit selective interchange and placement ofsegments (S) having raceways (19a, 19b) providing knitting feeds andsegments (U) having raceways providing transfer feeds in any desiredrelationship on the circular knitting machine.
 2. Knitting machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the relationship of the knitting feedsegments (S) to transfer segments (U) comprises at least one of: 2 : 1;2 : 2; 1 : 1; 4 : 2; 3 :
 1. 3. Knitting machine according to claim 1,wherein the machine further comprises a Jacquard selector drum (1, 3)for each feed, and position control means selectively operablyconnectable to said drums, the selector drums having two sections, onesection (1) controlling individual needle selection and the othersection (3) controlling blanking to override selections controlled bythe needle section; each said sections having a control latch (22,22''); wherein said control means comprises selectively energizable (43)electrical means (25) mechanically engageable with and controlling thecontrol latch (22'') of one of said sections.
 4. Knitting machineaccording to claim 3, wherein said control means further comprises apair of adjacent circumferential cam rings (23, 30) and means (28, 36)selectively engageable with one of said rings and the control latch (22)of the other of said sections.
 5. Knitting machine according to claim 3,wherein the electrical means comprises a solenoid magnet (25) and alocking member (24) selectively movable to engage the control latch (22)of said one of said sections in accordance with energization ornon-energization of said solenoid.
 6. Knitting machine according toclaim 3, wherein the electrical means of individual Jacquard selectordrums are individually controllable.
 7. Knitting machine according toclaim 3, wherein the electrical means of individual Jacquard selectordrums for each feed are controllable conjointly.
 8. Knitting machineaccording to claim 7, comprising a program controller (40) having a pairof outputs, one output (41) controlling the electrical means in knittingfeeds and the other output (42) controlling the electrical means intransfer feeds to selectively energize or not energize the electricalmeans of the respective knitting feed and transfer feed Jacquardselectors.
 9. Knitting machine according to claim 8, wherein the programcontroller (40) has a separated array of switches (49-1, 49-2 . . .49-n) controlling energization of the electrical means of individualJacquard selectors, the switches having discrete physical positionsdepending on their switch setting; and a pattern card (50) havingopenings (50-1, 50-2 . . . , 50-n) matching the physical positions ofthe switches connectable with specific segments, in accordance with thecharacteristic of the segments and whether providing knitting feed ortransfer feed control of the knitting needles.